


Fat Like Me

by MajorRoxy



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Human, Amedot Bomb, F/F, Fat Shaming, One Shot, amedot - Freeform, amedotbomb8
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-14
Updated: 2017-05-14
Packaged: 2018-10-31 20:24:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10906827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MajorRoxy/pseuds/MajorRoxy
Summary: AU College/Human: Amethyst is struggling to accept her body the way it is, and an awkward Peridot does her best to help her (girl) friend.Trigger Warning: Fat Shaming.Written for the Amedotbomb8!





	Fat Like Me

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! This is my first fic on AO3, and my first ever Steven Universe fic! I originally posted it on Tumblr while I waited to get my invite for this site. This is currently a one-shot, but if there is interest, I would love to continue into a few more chapters to really get some amedot love happening! 
> 
> Enjoy! =]

Amethyst’s room, though usually a mess, looked like a hurricane had swept through. She had gone through every article of clothing, angrily tossing them aside when she would look at herself in the mirror. She was frustrated, and somewhere deep down, hurting. She had never considered herself to be unattractive, but she had always noticed how much bigger she was than other girls, and she certainly did not mean in height. She had always been self-conscious of her body, and would wear bigger clothes to keep her lumpy shape from showing. She deterred people from her size with her sense of humor. Amethyst was known around campus as a jokester. She would leave people in tears, laughing so hard that their stomachs were sore. Amethyst truly loved humor, but she did not love when she felt compelled to use it to keep her emotions at bay.  
  
There was a concert on the beach announced for the last Friday of the semester. Amethyst loved live music, and considering how difficult this semester was, she needed to let loose. The weather was looking like it was going to be sunny and hot, and Amethyst had the perfect outfit in mind for such an occasion. She never really had outfits that made her excited to wear, and while this one was a stretch for her, she actually thought she looked pretty great in it. It was a pair of black high waisted shorts, with a red crop top, decorated with white polka dots. Sure, her stomach showed, but only a little bit, and it did hug her curves nicely. She was day dreaming about the outfit in class when a few girls ahead on her were snickering at something on their laptop. Amethyst glanced over, and saw a picture of a girl, a little chubbier than herself, in a crop top and high waisted jeans.  
  
“Don’t fat girls know they have a dress code? Keep it covered up, like, we aren’t the reason you’re fat. Why do we have to suffer?”  
  
Amethyst felt sick, embarrassed that she had not only let these girls get in her head, but that she was even considering wearing that outfit in public. Why would she want to set  herself up for ridicule? She would either have to play along, laughing off the hurtful comments, or she would lose her temper and cuss someone out.

And here she was, the day of the concert, tearing her room apart to find something she did not feel hideous in.  
  
“Fuck it! I just won’t go!” She shouted out loud, as she chucked a boot against the adjacent fall, leaving a faint dent. Amethyst collapsed to the ground, surrounded by tons of clothes that were good for nothing but mocking her. She curled up in a ball on her side, fighting back tears so hard that she willed herself to sleep.  
  
Sometime later, though Amethyst wasn’t sure when, she heard someone knocking on her door. She sat up, alarmed by the intrusive sound. Her room was colored by a goldenrod sun. It was evening, and the concert would be starting soon. Amethyst groaned, agitated that she was woken up and had to remember how much she hated herself all over again.  
  
The knocking continued, but a bit louder this time.  
  
“Amethyst?! Are you there?!” It was the distinctive voice of Peridot.  
  
“Fuck.” Amethyst muttered. She had forgotten to tell Peridot that she wasn’t going. Peridot wanted to go to the concert, but had never been to one before. Amethyst, being a concert junkie, could not fathom how that was even possible, and insisted Peridot join her for her concert cherry to be popped. The reference made Peridot blush and nearly faint, but she had accepted with confidence and maybe even a hint of excitement.  
  
Amethyst groaned, pushing herself off the ground, climbing with expertise through the cluttered room and to her front door. Amethyst opened it slightly, her eyes avoiding Peridot’s.  
  
“Hey uh…I’m not going. Sorry I forgot to text you.”  
  
“Huh? You’re not?” Peridot tried to figure out what Amethyst was looking at.  
  
_Her eyes seemed to be focused on that odd shaped rock on the ground. Perhaps this has something to do with Amethysts’ disheveled appearance and lack of interest in her favorite activity._ Peridot thought to herself, her questioning eyes moving between Amethyst and the rock.  
  
“Yeah dude, just…don’t want to. So…see ya later.” Amethyst tried to close the door, but Peridot shoved her arm through before she could.  
  
“Wait! I’m not going to go if you aren’t going.” Peridot eyed the rock one last time, just to be certain it wasn’t actually some sort of robot, about to sneak attack her. She quickly returned her focus to Amethyst once she determined it was merely…a rock. “I mean, what are you doing instead?”  
  
Amethyst sighed loudly, opening the door a little so Peridot could get her arm out. She did not want to be with anyone, or see anyone, but she felt guilty for not texting Peridot.  
  
“Listen Per, I just need to be alone tonight, okay?” Peridot gave her a puzzled look, as if Amethyst had spoken another language.  
  
“Why?” Peridot finally asked.  
  
“What do you mean? What don’t you get?”  
  
“Why do you need to be alone? Are you sick? Is someone or something holding you hostage? Is there some- “  
  
“Peridot, it’s nothing like- “  
  
“I mean, your behavior feels very strange, and I can’t imagine why you would miss one of these concerts you love so much, and it just feels like- “  
  
“Peridot! Would you just stop?!” Peridot immediately silenced, shocked by how angry Amethyst became. “I’m not going because…because I don’t want to be seen.” Amethyst released a deep breath, her cheeks a soft crimson. After a moment of silence, Peridot finally spoke.  
  
“But…why?”  
  
Amethyst sighed, opening her door up, allowing Peridot inside. She walk towards her room, and Peridot tentatively followed.  
  
“Holy smokes!” Peridot was used to Amethyst’s messy lifestyle, but this was out of control. “What happened?”  
  
Amethyst slumped down on her bed, rubbing her arm uncomfortably.  
  
“Nothing looks good on me.” Amethyst muttered, almost afraid to hear herself say it out loud, let alone to someone else.  
  
“You mean this is all because you can’t figure out what to wear?” Peridot laughed, while Amethyst seethed. “I thought you had picked-“  
  
“No you idiot! It’s not some…superficial shallow…thing!” Amethyst shouted from the bed, interrupting Peridot. “I look horrible, Peridot! Just a fat, short blob who has nothing that hides that fact that I’m just…ugly! I’m fat and ugly and I would rather just sit here alone forever than have people point and laugh and comment on how I should be covered up so I don’t offend them!”  
  
Peridot stood in the door way, her mouth slightly agape. She did not know what to say, and she was notorious for saying the wrong thing. She was often too literal, too analytical, too “out there,” and quite frankly, she was afraid of upsetting Amethyst any further. But her desire to understand always got the better of her.  
  
“What’s wrong with being fat?” She finally asked, getting a surprised and confused reaction out of Amethyst.  
  
“What do you mean? It’s fat. No one wants to be fat.”  
  
“Well why not?”  
  
Amethyst stared at Peridot in disbelief. Was she really this ignorant? Or was she trying to make a fool out of Amethyst? Peridot, having sensed the tension rise between them, quickly tried to explain herself.  
  
“What I mean is, why is it a bad thing? I know I’m not exactly fat, so maybe I don’t understand what it’s like to be fat and what negative connotations come with it. But why do they? I mean, fat is just something we all have, some more than others. How is the amount of fat someone has any indication of their self-worth? And what does it have to do with beauty standards? I know I’m just some…nerd…who isn’t all about fashion and what have you, but doesn’t it seem strange to live your life where your worth is set by your appearance? And your appearance is judged by others?”  
  
Amethyst was wide eyed and speechless. She stared at Peridot, her gaze much softer. Peridot took the chance to keep going, while carefully walking over Amethyst’s clothes piles to get closer to her.  
  
“I know I don’t always get things, like jokes, or that I need things spelled out for me, but I think what I don’t get about this, and maybe you can explain it to me…” Peridot sat down next to Amethyst on the bed, who was now staring at the ground. “…Is how you, someone who is so tough and cool, could let some clearly uneducated morons think you’re anything but, well…wonderful?”  
  
Amethyst clearly tensed, making Peridot tense as well. Peridot fiddled with her hands nervously; had she overstepped? Suddenly, Amethyst started laughing. Peridot smiled, exhaling a breath she was not aware she was holding. _Laughing is good_ , Peridot thought to herself. Peridot then noticed that Amethyst was also crying, which sent Peridot spiraling through tension and anxiety all over again.  
  
“Are you okay, Amethyst?!” Peridot was not sure why she was shouting; she was incredibly confused and nervous.  
  
Amethyst, still laughing and crying, put her hand on Peridot’s shoulder.  
  
“I’m okay,” Amethyst said, between staggered breaths. “Just can’t believe it takes a nerd these days to remind me of how awesome I am.” Peridot frowned but Amethyst gave her a wink and a playful push.  
  
“So…does this mean we’re going…?” Peridot was visibly still nervous, unsure what Amethyst was exactly feeling at this moment. Amethyst, still laughing with tears in her eyes, nodded her head.  
  
“Yeah, dude. We’re still going. I just…have to pick something now.” Amethyst looked down at everything sprawled out across the floor. It made her feel sort of uneasy again. She took a deep breath as she stood up and walked over to the only thing still hanging in her closet. She had not bothered to touch it, having decided she would not look good in it. “I was originally going to wear this.” She picked it up and turned to show it to Peridot.  
  
It was then that Amethyst had finally noticed what Peridot was wearing. She had on a pair of black skinny jeans, a white button up collared shirt with red polka dots, finished off with a red bow tie.  
  
“Oh good! You’re going with the one you originally planned! My efforts to find matching attire will not go unnoticed!” Peridot said gleefully, completely unaware of Amethyst’s shock.  
  
“When did I tell you about wearing this outfit?! I don’t remember that at all!” Peridot laughed, patting Amethyst’s back awkwardly, trying to be good at physical contact.  
  
“Oh, Amethyst. I didn’t need you to ‘tell’ me! I just followed the clues!” Amethyst stared at Peridot blankly.  
  
“The clues?”  
  
“Why, yes! You first ‘pinned’ this outfit on Pinterest! You also ‘reblogged’ it on Tumblr! And then you ‘posted’ it on Facebook, saying ‘Concert, here I come!’ I mean, you made it sort of easy, Amethyst. I was surprised you suddenly didn’t want to wear it with how much you liked it.” Amethyst shook her head, a small smirk on her lips.  
  
“Yeah, I was surprised too.” Amethyst looked over herself in the mirror while Peridot continued to talk about Amethyst’s social media accounts. Peridot’s words were comforting, and very sweet, but they did not suddenly fix Amethyst’s poor self-image. Peridot stopped talking when she noticed Amethyst had mentally checked out.  
  
“Amethyst…?” Peridot stood behind her, watching her watch herself. She bit her lip and hesitantly reached out to rest her hand on Amethyst’s arm. “Are you okay?” Amethyst shook her head, as if to physically shake away her thoughts.  
  
“Yeah…I’m okay. Now, go wait in the living room! I’ll get ready quickly and we should make it there right before the band starts.”

Peridot beamed, happily hopping her way through the clothes maze and out of the room. She sat on the couch, kicking her dangling feet back and forth. She was excited to be spending time with Amethyst, more so than going to a concert. Her movement stopped when she really thought about what Amethyst said. Did she really not like herself? How was she able to hide it so well? And how could she not think she is pretty? Peridot mulled over her thoughts and questions. Amethyst baffled and amazed Peridot in ways she could not fully understand or describe. She had a longing to know more, and to understand more. Amethyst had been so welcoming of Peridot during their freshman orientation; if not for her, Peridot may have never made any friends. That was a year ago, and since then, Peridot has ended up with more questions than answers about Amethyst.  
  
“Well…what do you think?”  
  
Peridot had not noticed Amethyst opened her door, or that she was standing there. She was lost in thought, as she so often was, when Amethyst’s voice startled her.  
  
“Oh, Amethyst! I was just…” Peridot’s words trailed off when she finally looked up and saw Amethyst.  
  
“I still gotta brush my hair, but otherwise…is it okay?” Amethyst forced a smile, awkwardly shrugging her shoulders with her hands out at her sides.  Peridot felt her face heat up and her mouth go dry.  
  
“Holy. Smokes.” Peridot whispered without intending to. Amethyst felt a little embarrassed by Peridot’s reaction. Was it good? Was it bad?  


“So…I’m hoping that means it looks good?” Amethyst wanted to curl into herself and disappear; Peridot’s silence and staring made her start to question herself. Finally, the flustered blonde nodded her head.  
  
“You look beautiful, Amethyst.” Peridot and Amethyst locked eyes, and it became a battle over who could blush harder. “I-I mean, you uh…you look great! So why don’t you brush that hair there, buddy, and we can get our groove on with our fellow peers at the musical event?!” Peridot was shouting again; volume control became a problem when she was overwhelmed. And what on earth was she even saying? ‘Get our groove on?’ ‘Fellow peers?’ Peridot was mentally kicking herself for being so socially awkward. Amethyst couldn’t help but laugh and softly shake her head.  
  
“You’re such a dork. I’ll hurry and finish up.” Amethyst turned to go back into her room, but stopped in the door way and turned back to Peridot. “And uh…thanks, Peri. For everything today. You…you look cute too, by the way.” Amethyst quickly turned away and disappeared into her room, leaving Peridot scrambling to lift her jaw off of the floor and recompose herself in privacy. Amethyst chuckled as she ran a brush through her hair, looking at her reflection in the mirror. “What a nerd.” She said to herself, as she ran her fingers through her now tangle-free hair. “What an adorable nerd.”


End file.
